1 Kings 2:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

NIV: So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country.

NASB: Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house in the wilderness.

CSB: Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, struck down Joab, and put him to death. He was buried at his house in the wilderness.

NLT: So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness.

KJV: So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

NKJV: So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

The great general Joab has died. Not nobly in battle. Not even peacefully in his bed. He is executed for murder and sedition while standing at the altar of the tabernacle.

Joab was David's nephew, the son of David's sister. He probably first joined David when David split with King Saul and hid in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1). He fought side by side with David until David's responsibilities as king kept him closer to home. Then Joab led the army to keep Israel safe. He was devoted to David and was one of the few who could tell the king when he needed to rethink his decisions (2 Samuel 19:1–8).

Joab's sense of honor was driven by loyalty to himself and his family, rather than God, like David. David was willing to overlook an offense against himself if doing so would benefit the nation. Joab was not so high-minded. He murdered Abner in peace after Abner killed his brother in war (2 Samuel 2:18–23; 3:26–30). He murdered Amasa for siding with Absalom against David (2 Samuel 17:25) and for taking his job (2 Samuel 19:13; 20:9–10).

These murders are why David told Solomon to bring Joab to justice (1 Kings 2:5–6). But Solomon waits until Joab sins against him. Joab had sided with David's brother Adonijah to succeed David. While David still lived, that was David's problem. When Adonijah tried again after David had died and while Solomon was king, Solomon recognized Joab's support (1 Kings 2:22). So, Solomon orders Benaiah, the captain of the king's bodyguard, to kill Joab where he stands at the tabernacle altar.

Benaiah oversees the burial on Joab's own property in the "wilderness." Commentators suggest that this refers to a family estate in the open fields of Judea east of Bethlehem. Convicted murderers were not always given an honorable burial, but Joab had served David for many years. Joab is likely buried in the family tomb where his brother Asahel had been laid (2 Samuel 2:32).

It has been thirty-three years since Joab murdered Abner. This execution was a long time coming. In God's economy, it happened exactly when it needed to establish Solomon's kingdom (1 Kings 2:46).

First Kings 2:28–35 describes the unfortunate end of one of David's greatest allies. David had told Solomon that to have a secure kingdom, he needed to kill Joab, the military commander who had murdered two good men (1 Kings 2:5–6). Solomon waits until Joab commits a crime against him: supporting Solomon's brother Adonijah's coup attempt after Solomon is already king. When Joab hears that Solomon executed Adonijah, he runs to the tabernacle for sanctuary. Solomon has him killed, anyway. Solomon only has one more person to deal with: Shimei, the man from Benjamin who cursed David when David fled from Absalom's coup (1 Kings 2:36–46).

In 1 Kings 2, Solomon establishes his kingdom. David tells Solomon to follow God and to deal justly with his officials. After David dies, Solomon executes his rival Adonijah and the murderer Joab. He sends the conspiring priest Abiathar to house arrest and deals with the Benjamite Shimei, who cursed David. Benaiah becomes the military commander, and Zadok the lead priest. Next, Solomon will offer his famous prayer for wisdom (1 Kings 3:6–9).

David's reign ends as his health begins to fail. Watchful rivals try to take advantage of this, attempting to install their preferred heir to the throne (1 Kings 1). This fails, and Solomon is crowned. In 1 Kings 2, Solomon begins the work of inheriting God's covenant with David. Before David dies, he advises Solomon on how to follow God, respond to conspirators, and build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:6–19; 28:9–21). David also throws a more formal coronation ceremony (1 Chronicles 29:22–25). After dealing with the men who would take his crown, Solomon asks God for wisdom; God promises to add honor and wealth (1 Kings 3:6–14).

This was originally the first half of a combined text. First Kings records the end of David's reign and the rule of Solomon. After this, the kingdom is split in two. The northern nation of Israel no longer submits to the king of the southern nation, called Judah. The prophet Elijah first appears in this book. The kings mostly fail to honor the Lord. They participate in idolatry and other sins. This will eventually result in their conquest and exile, as depicted throughout the books of Chronicles.